HEY EVERYONE... SORRY FOR THIS... THIS CHAPTER HAS BEEN RE-UPLOADED AS THERE HAVE BEEN MINOR CHANGES. THESE CHANGES DO NOT CHANGE THE STORY.
A/N: It's a longer chapter than usual… but only by a bit… 500 words or so. I ended up making it shorter because I had a better idea for the next chapter. I hope that you enjoy, and you review. Thanks!
Disclaimer: I do not, nor will I ever own anything that sprang from the mind of the great JKR!
Chapter 6: A New Discovery
His alarm went off just as the sun was making an appearance, he slipped his arms from around Hermione's sleeping body, and gathered his clothing from the floor and walked to the bathroom. After showering, he dressed, and scribbling a note on the hotel stationary, left it on his pillow and with a click on the door he left.
The sun was high in the sky when Hermione awoke; stretching, she found that Falin had left. Frowning, she sat up and looked around the room. His clothing was gone, but on the pillow he'd used the night before was a note. Picking it up she read it silently to herself. Smiling, she got out of bed and showered, removing the kinks her body had acquired the night before. After she exited the bathroom, she went to her closet and pulled out a pair of shorts and a t-shirt and quickly changed. Slipping on a pair of runners, she found her purse, her room key and left her room. She spent an hour walking around the square, popping in and out of shops; in some she bought something, in others she didn't. She returned to the hotel in time to drop off her purchases and make her way to the lobby. It was 2:00pm when Falin walked in the door.
"Hello love" he said as his arms when around her.
"Hi, ready for lunch?" she said kissing him.
"Let's go" he guided her to his car, and with a roar of the engine he'd swept her off to a small local pub.
The rest of the afternoon was spent hand in hand, walking throughout the town, going into the parks, and some sight seeing. It was late into the evening when he dropped her off at the hotel.
"I'll call tomorrow, I have plans tonight" he said after giving her a peck on the lips.
"Bye. Night" she said and left him at the door of the lobby. She entered her suite, and the room was impeccably clean. She smiled as she saw her purchases sitting on the bed, still in their bags. Sitting on the bed, she pulled flipped her shoes off her feet and pulled the folder Chekhov had given her. She began flipping through the pages, the deeds, and the information. She reread the letter her parents had left her, wiping the tears away from her eyes. She fell asleep with the papers strewn around her.
She awoke the next morning to the crunching of paper as she tossed and turned. Sitting up she brushed the papers from around her and left the comfort of the bed. After showering, and dressing, she began to clean up the papers strewn about the bed and floor. As she placed the papers one by one back into their folder she noticed something sitting under the bed, close to her foot. Picking it up, it was the picture of her and her parents. Studying it, she saw the beautiful manor in the background, the gardens and the happy atmosphere behind the moving figures in the photo. Standing up, she looked more closely. Putting it down, she went back to the folder and looked through the papers until she found what she was looking for; the address to her parents home. Without over thinking it, she started to pack her bags. She took her wand, and with a swish and a flick she was packed and ready to go. She left her room with one last glance, checking to make sure she had everything. She entered the elevator, and pressed the button that would take her to the lobby. Once there, she moved to the front desk. Smiling at the clerk she asked to be checked out.
"Could I leave a message here, for a friend?" she inquired.
"Of course" the clerk replied.
Hermione left a message for Falin; she would be back soon. She'd let him known when she got back. Once she had finished giving the message, she smiled once more and left the hotel. She flagged down a taxi, and gave the address to the man driving. His eyebrows lifted at the knowledge that his fare would be large, and nodded his head. He put the car into gear and with a bark from the motor; the car was off- speeding it's way through the streets of Saint Petersburg.
The time it took the taxi to reach the outskirts of the city was minimal, however the time it took to negotiate the streets once outside of it took much longer. The houses got bigger, the guard dogs got louder, and Hermione felt more and more out of her element. Yes- she was a Russian Princess, but really- did she belong out here? The car finally stopped in front of an especially large house, one that Hermione recognized. This was the house from the photo of her parents. Smiling, she looked around. The driver put down his window, and reached through to press the button on what appeared to be a speakerphone.
"Yes?" a disembodied voice came from the box.
"I have a passenger who wishes to enter the premises," the driver explained.
"Who?" the voice spoke, the driver looked in his review mirror questioningly.
"Gabrielle Dracontos" she said in a loud enough voice for the man to hear.
The driver repeated the message, and was let in the gates not 2 seconds afterwards. The car made its' way slowly up the driveway, towards the tall front doors. As they reached them, they opened and an elderly man walked from behind them. Hermione looked questioningly out at him. She waited for the taxi to come to a complete stop and the left the safety of the car, to make her way to the man.
"Miss Dracontos?" he asked.
"Yes" Hermione nodded.
"You look very much like your mother" he stated and looking at the driver, said "You may leave her bags in the front hall"
The driver nodded, and opened the boot of his car. He took out the luggage and made his way to the front hall. Once there, a younger woman asked him to place them in an elevator. Once he had done that, he looked around- wondering who would pay him for the trip he'd just made.
"Your fare sir" the woman said passing him enough to cover his trip to the house, and back into the city- if not more. Without complaint, he thanked the woman and retreated to his car.
Hermione explored the main floor of the large house as the butler took care of her bags and the driver. The man, who was wearing a tidy black suit, entered the room Hermione was looking into to.
"Miss Dracontos?" he made himself known.
"Oh, hello" she said whirling around.
"My name is Pascal. I've been here at the estate for the last 45 years. Your parents left me in their stead to run it. I'm so very glad you're back Miss Gabrielle"
Hermione nodded, but felt out of place.
"I'm not sure how long I'll be here, to tell you the truth," she said looking guiltily up at him.
"I have to go back to school in just over a month"
"I understand," the older man nodded.
She nodded, and looked around the room once again.
"I think that I might like to see my room please" she looked over at the man.
"Of course, this way" he led her through the house, up the stairs and into the gorgeous papered hallway. The took it until finally Pascal stopped in front of a door on the left hand side of the hall, and opened it. He led her into a room painted a lovely shade of light green. To one side there was what seemed to be a sitting area, but the main focus of the room was the king size bed in the middle of the far wall. On the right hand side of the room, a door stood ajar. Hermione walked towards it; and stepping in found a bathroom with a lovely claw footed tub. Leaving the room Hermione re-entered the bedroom, and sat down on the bed. Pascal smiled at her.
"Is that all Miss?" he asked.
"Yes, thank you Pascal. I think I am going to freshen up, and then perhaps take a walk in the gardens"
"Of course, we shall serve supper at 7:00pm"
"Thank you" she smiled at him, and stood up as a younger man brought in her bags. He laid them beside the door, and nodded at both the occupants of the room. He left and Pascal followed, closing the door to the green bedroom.
Hermione picked up her bags and placed them on her bed, she drew her wand and with a swish, she unpacked. She pulled out a set of clothing, and her toiletries, and entered the bathroom.
She came out 20 minutes later with her hair in a tangled mass on her head and wearing a pair of shorts and a tank top. She left her room, and taking a couple wrong turns, finally ended up at the terrace behind the house. Looking over the back yard, she saw the most gorgeous gardens, a pool with attached Jacuzzi. Farther into the distance, Hermione saw what seemed like a barn. She decided that, that was where she was heading.
When she arrived only a short 10-minute walk later; she found a stable of horses. They were gorgeous animals, big dark beasts. Hermione walked around, looking at each one, rubbing their noses and smelling their sweaty bodies.
Behind her she heard a clearing of the throat; and she turned.
"Who are you?" she asked looking at the young man standing beside the stall marked 'Russia's Princessa'.
"My name is Markhov," he said.
"Gabrielle" she answered
"As in Dracontos?"
She nodded.
"Welcome home. These are your champions"
"My champions?" she looked confused.
"Yes, your parents always kept horses, and we've kept it up since they di…" he scrolled off.
"Since they died" she filled in. "You don't have to sugar coat it- I didn't even know that they existed until only a few weeks ago"
He nodded, and walked over to her.
"Well, they have won world wide. We've traveled with them, and they are world champions. They have won much money for your family"
"That's cool," she said.
"Anyway, MissGabrielle, I must tend to the animals. Good evening"
"Good night" she said, and moved away. She exited the stables, and made her way back up to the house. She meandered around the giant house until she found a room with a large desk in the middle of the room. Sitting down at desk she began to run her hands over the leather-covered blotter. She opened the drawers, one by one, and in the bottom most drawer on the right side, she found a memory box made of mahogany. She pulled it out, and placed it on the top of the desk. She opened the lid, and found… pictures, and crafts, and childhood memorabilia.
She spent the next hour sifting through the box of memories, finding pictures of her younger self, growing up; crafts that she had probably made with her parents by her side. Her baby booties were sitting in there, as well as a chain with a locket attached. She popped open the locket, and she saw a picture of her, a tiny child, with her parents. She took the chain, and wrapped it around her neck, and smiled as she looked down on the necklace. She was still immersed in the box when a knock sounded on the door.
"Yes?" she said, looking up.
"Dinner is served," Pascal said, looking at her.
Nodding, Hermione stood up from the comfortable chair behind the desk, and followed Pascal.
"We eat informally here, Miss Gabrielle; we haven't had anyone but us here in years. We've become accustomed to eating all together as a staff. I hope you won't mind; unless you'd like to eat by yourself?"
"No, that's fine. Whatever is in place is good for me. Thank you" she nodded as Pascal pointed to an empty chair at the head of the table.
The meal preceded as any does when with new people, Hermione met what would be considered her staff; and generally began to get to know who they were, their stories and backgrounds. She retired that evening in an unfamiliar bed.
She spent the next week exploring the estate that had been given to her, the stables, the gardens, the rooms and the memories she found in them. After a week, she decided that the only thing that would make her happier was if she had someone to explore with. She woke up 9 days after she arrived and decided that she would return to St. Petersburg and invite Falin to come back with her. She packed a single bag, and went to speak with Pascal.
"My dear, of course you may go. Would you require a ride; I can get one of the stable boys drive you back to the city"
"No thank you. I was wondering- well the other day I was looking in the garage… and well I saw several cars. Are they in working order?"
"Of course they are. Please, take your pick"
"Th-Thank you. I hope to be back in several days. I will see you then" she said. Smiling at all those she passed; she made her way to the garage. Once inside she grabbed the first set of keys her hands found and pressed the unlock key. In the far corner, 2 or 3 cars from where she was standing a red corvette beeped. She moved towards it, and climbed in. She started the car, and from her purse pulled a map that she had found when looking through the study desk. She mentally mapped her route back to St. Petersburg before shifting into gear and moving out into the sunlight.
She soon arrived back in the city, and made her way back to the hotel she'd previously stayed at. She followed the signs for parking, and left her car parked under the hotel. Reaching the desk, she smiled at the young woman standing behind it.
"Hello, Hermione Granger- I am checking in"
"Yes Miss Granger, I have a message for you" she said as she tapped on the computer in front of her. She handed Hermione a card, as well as a pink message paper.
"Thank you" Hermione said, and walked off towards the elevator. Looking down at the pink slip, she simply saw a number. Once she reached her room, she put down her bag, and walked to the phone. She dialed, and waited.
"Hello?"
"Falin? Hi it's Hermione- how are you?"
"Good good. You back in town?"
"Yes, are you free tonight?"
"Around 10?"
"Sounds like a plan. See you up here? Room 346"
"See you then"
It was 10 o'clock when the door to her suite sounded; she opened it to find Falin on the other side. His eyes swept up and down, and in only a few seconds he had his arms around her naked body and his lips attached to hers. He backed her up to the bed, and they fell together onto it. She wrapped her legs around his waist and continued to kiss him. While his lips and tongue massaged hers, she started to unbutton his shirt, stripping it from his chest. She then moved on to his trousers and pants. Finally, when he was naked she flipped him over and began to kiss his throat, his color bone. Further and further down she went, until her lips encircled him. She licked, and sucked while he sighed and sucked in his breath. He was breathing her name when he began to tighten, Hermione could feel him tightening, ready to explode. She pulled her mouth from him, and smiled up at him as she crawled back up his body and straddled him. She placed his hard cock at her entranced and thrust down onto him. With a groan she began to move on him, and he began to thrust up into her. Soon he had her on her back, thrusting hard into her. He began to piston in and out, hearing her cry his name over and over. She moved her hips and tandem to his, and soon they were both crying out in ecstasy. He thrust one last hard time into her and emptied his seed. Groaning his name, Hermione contracted around his member and came. Wrapped in each other's arms they talked about the week they had spent apart, what he had done, what she had done. Soon they fell asleep, entangled from their passion.
Hermione awoke the next morning still entangled in Falin's arms and legs. She slowly detached herself from him and made for the bathroom. She showered quickly and after putting her hair up in a ponytail, she went back to the bedroom. Sitting on the side of the bed, she watched while Falin slowly made his way to the conscious world.
"Morning" he mumbled.
"Morning" she smiled, "Hey- what would you think about spending a little time out on my estate. I haven't really had the time to enjoy it, and I would love it if you'd come out there with me"
"Oh, your estate- but you're British" he asked questioningly.
"My birth parents were Russian, I was born here, but adopted by a family in England," she explained.
"My real name is Gabrielle Dracontos, not Hermione Granger," she explained.
"As in Dracontos Enterprises?" he asked
"I guess so, I haven't really had the time to go over everything," she laughed.
"Oh, well I'll have to check my calendar" he said.
"It's not rush, you can let me know"
"I will"
"Now, do you have any plans for the day- I saw this amazing Winery just outside of the city, we could make it a day trip, come back here, have dinner, spend some time together?" she said raising her eyebrows suggestively.
"I'll shower" he said with a smile and crawling out of bed, headed for the bathroom.
"I'll be right here, waiting for you" was Hermione's reply.